My Instagram Decision

I love to experience life to the fullest and share those experiences with the world around me. It is part of my DNA as an explorer and storyteller.

The tools of social media empower me to do this in ways I couldn't have imagined just a few short years ago.

It wasn't easy for me to decide to stop using Instagram after how they acted last year. I enjoyed using the platform to share my travels and I loved the interaction with people around the globe. But, with a simple post of a photo, I stopped using it.

People asked why I didn't make a bigger deal about it? The simple truth is that I'm not the type of human that needs to tell the world that they are quitting something. Those people drive me crazy because all they are doing is waving a big sign that screams "look at me."

It was my decision, I made it and moved on.

Then yesterday morning a simple text from my daughter made me rethink my decision.

I'm on the road again doing a lot of traveling. There hadn't been any time away from the family since I stopped using Instagram and that message got me thinking about how my family stays connected to me on the road through my photos.

Laying in the dark of my hotel room with my body clock still being on East Coast time I wondered if perhaps I should change my mind.

Other photographers I respect are still using the service. I've been sharing my photos online since the graphical Internet was invented and nothing but good has come of it. While my trust in the Instagram team is null and void due to their actions, I still value the service and what it allows me to do.

I debated writing this post, but I had so many people ask me about what changed my mind that I felt I need to. Hard to explain something like this in only 140 characters.

Any tool that allows my family to feel more connected to me while I'm traveling is one that I want to continue using.